Italy

Italian scientists have used a titanium oxide sponge to successfully prevent lead leakage in a semitransparent solar cell. The device has demonstrated comparable efficiency to semi-transparent perovskite devices and has an average visible transmittance (AVT) of 31.4%.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) said in a new report that solar will remain the main source of global renewable capacity expansion in 2023, accounting for 286 GW. In 2024, the figure is set to grow to almost 310 GW, driven by lower module prices, greater uptake of distributed PV systems, and a policy push for large-scale deployment.

Mitsubishi Electric has launched a demonstration experiment to assess the efficiency of heat pumps in demand-response control on the Aran Islands in Ireland and San Pietro Island in Italy. As part of the European Union’s REACT project, solar, wind, and storage solutions will also be implemented to enhance the energy self-sufficiency of isolated islands.

Futurasun, an Italian module manufacturer, has acquired Rome-based Solertix. It now aims to bring its perovskite-based solar cell technology closer to commercial production.

European Energy, a Danish independent power producer, said it will build its new 250 MW close to a substation owned by Italian grid operator Terna in Sicily. It will occupy a surface of around 200 hectares.

The Italian authorities have allocated 368.2 MW of renewables capacity in the nation’s latest procurement exercise for clean energy. Developers have offered a maximum discount ranging between 2% and 2.8% from the auction ceiling price of €0.065 ($0.070)/kWh.

Pylontech says it plans to build a new manufacturing facility in Veneto, northern Italy. The company will operate the factory under a joint venture with its Italian partner, Energy Spa.

Italy reached 26.1 GW of cumulative installed PV capacity at the end of March, according to Italia Solare, the nation’s solar energy association.

Italy has secured 939 MW of new PV projects, with Spanish group Repsol alone planning 825 MW of solar development, including its first two arrays in Puglia. Comal and Sonnedix have likewise unveiled new PV projects in Sardinia and Lazio.

In a new weekly update for pv magazine, Solcast, a DNV company, presents the solar irradiance data it collected for Italy in May. These data show that, during the Storm Minerva, solar PV production in Italy and the TransnetBW ISO region in southern Germany was significantly depressed from previous days. Conversely, wind power trended high, due to the intense and widespread nature of the system.